War between the States - 18th Texas Infantry

The 18th (also known as Ochiltree's) Regiment Texas Infantry, with eleven companies A to L, completed its organization by the election of field officers May 13, 1862. Captain McNight's Company L was transferred to the 14th Regiment Texas Infantry sometime prior to October 31, 1862, and became (1st) Company K of that organization. Like almost all Civil War units, the 18th was known by an alternate designation derived from the name of its commanding officer. Unofficial names of this type used by or for the regiment are:
Colonel David B. Culberson's Infantry
Colonel William B. Ochiltree's Infantry
Colonel Wilburn H. King's Infantry
Colonel Thomas R. Bonner's Infantry
James D. Cook's Infantry
James G. McKnight's Infantry
John R. Wilson's Infantry
Joseph G.W. Wood's Infantry
John Cocke's Infantry
J.C. Maple's Infantry
W.R. Buford's Infantry
J.R. Ferguson's Infantry

Officers of the 18th Tx Infantry were:
Colonel W.B. Ochiltree
Lieut.Col. D.B.Culbertson
Major Wilburn.H.King
Surgeon Franklin D Hallonquist, born 11 Jul 1819 in SC, died 15 Feb 1871 Kaufman Co TX & is buried in the Cedar grove Cemetery in Kaufman County TX.
Asst.Surgeon J.N.B.Gwinn
Quartermaster Wm.Colby
Adjutant D.D.Walton

Company A, men from Cherokee County
Captain M.A. Gaston
1st Lieut. D.A.Gates
2nd Lieut. J.W.Richardson
2nd Lieut. J.K Mathews

Company B, men from Rusk and Marion Counties
Captain R.Z.Buckner
1st Lieut. W.T.Davenport
2nd Lieut. R.Beaty
2nd Lieut H.F. O'Neil

Company C, men from Rusk and Cherokee Counties
Captain Thos.R.Bonner
1st Lieut. A.A.Cameron
2nd Lieut. G.M. Martin
2nd Lieut. H.McKnight

Company D, men from Jefferson and Marion Counties
Captain John K.Cocke
1st Lieut. G.W.Martin
2nd Lieut. J.W.Gillian
2nd Lieut. J.H.Bonner

Company E, men from Sulpher Springs, Hopkins County
Captain R.Kunningham
1st Lieut. John R. Ferguson
2nd Lieut. A.W. Henderson
2nd Lieut. J.J.Davenay

Company F, men from Homer, Angelina and Titus Counties
Captain J.G.Wood
1st Lieut J.Cherry
2nd Lieut. T.B.Coplin
2nd Lieut. V.Evans

Company G, men from Rusk County
Captain J.Dansby
1st Lieut. C.G. Graham
2nd Lieut. H.L.Holt
2nd Lieut. S.E.Newsom

Company H, men from Coffeeville, Upshur County
Captain J.W.Duncan
1st Lieut. L.W.Stephens
2nd Lieut. T.S.Skeen
2nd Lieut. B.A.Jones.

Company I, men from Shelbyville, Shelby and Rusk Counties
Captain W.W.Thompson
1st Lieut. J.C.Maple
2nd Lieut Wiley Mayers
2nd Lieut. M.Farley

Company K, men from Jacksonville, Cherokee County
Captain W.H. Lovelady
1st Lieut. T.S.Keen
2nd Lieut. J.M.Castle
2nd Lieut. Thos E.Vick

Company L, 18th Vol., 18th Inf.

The 18th Tx Infantry spent its entire career within the Trans-Mississippi Department. During late 1862 a detachment of the unit was temporarily mounted. This detachment was ordered south of the Rio Grande, into Texas, where a large herd of cattle had been purchased for the Confederacy. The detachment brought these cattle back across the Rio Grande to central Texas.

Only two higher command assignments have been found for the 18th Tx Infantry.

Sept. 30, 1862--First Brigade, First division, trans-Mississippi Department--

Dec. 31, 1864--First Texas Infantry Brigade, First Texas Infantry Division, First Corps, Army of Trans Mississippi

The 18th Infantry participated in more than twenty various type engagemants during its career .
June 7, 1863-- Actions, Milliken's Bend and Youngs Point, Louisiana --Our loss in this engagement was 44 killed, 130 wounded and 10 missing. Total casualties, 184, including 2 officers killed and 10 wounded. The loss of the enemy numbered about 800, including the number of negros that were drowned in the Mississippi River, in undertaking to swim a transport that was lying at the apposite bank of the river.

June 15, 1863,- Action, Richmond Louisiana,--The 18th Tx Infantry commanded by the brave and fearless Colonel Culbertson, crossed the bayou and charged the enemy at the point of the bayonet, driving them pell-mell into the timber. This charge made the 18th will compare favorably with any regimental charge that has ever been recorded

July 12-13, 1863-Engagement, Cox's Plantation, Donaldsonvill, Bayou La Forche, Louisiana

Sept.4, 1863-Skirmish near Harrisonburg and capture, Ft. Beaurgard, Louisiana

Action, Sterling's Plantattion on Bayou Fordoche near Morganza, Louisiana

Oct.3-Nov 30, 1863-Campaign in Western Louisiana and Operations in Teche country

Oct.21, 1863-Actions, Opelousas and Barre Landing, Louisiana

Nov.3, 1863-Action, Grand Coteau, Bayou Bourbea, Carrion Crow Bayou, Buzzard's Prairie, Louisiana-The Infantry Brigade was formed in battle line in the following manner.-The 15th T.V. Infantry, commanded by Colonel James H. Harrison took their position on the right of the brigade;the 18th T.V.Infantry, commanded by Colonel Wilburn King, was assigned the center, and the 11th T.V.Infantry, commanded by Lt.-Colonel James H. Jones, took their position on the left of the brigadeThe battle lasted 3 hours. Our forces lost, in the infantry brigade, twenty one killed; eighty two injured, thirty eight taken prisoner

March 1-4, 1864-Actions, Trinity and Harrisonburg, Louisiana

March 10-April 10, 1864-Operations against Bank's Red River Campaign

March 14, 1864-capture Fort De Russy, Louisiana (detachment) Mistakenly called by some "the Gibralter on Red River"-nothing was saved from the fort but two large thirty-two pound Parrott guns.

March 14-26, 1864-Operations against Advance from Franklin, Louisiana

March 31, 1864-Action, Natchitoches, Louisiana

April 7, 1864-Engagement, Wilson's Farm near Pleasant Hill, Louisiana

April 8, 1864-Battle, Sabine Cross Roads, Mansfield near Pleasant Hill, Louisiana-Our loss in the divisions amounted to 600 in killed, wounded and missing. While the loss of the enemy amounted to 1,500 in killed and wounded, 2000 prisoners, 20 pieces of artillery,including Nim's battery, , Chicago Mercantile battery and the First Indiana battery, besides two hundred wagons and thousands of small-arms. The Union 13th Corps was shatterd, with 2,200 casualties out of about 12,000 engaged

April 9, 1864- Engagement, Pleasant Hill, Louisana ,20,000 southern volunteers proved the equals of a splendidly appointed army of 40,000 of the best soldiers in the United States army. Our loss and that of the enemy was about in proportion to the battle of Mansfield. banks with 12,000 men engaged, lost slightly over 1,000 killed and 495 daptured. Taylor with 12,500 men engaged, lost 1,200 killed and wounded.

April 16-May2, 1864-Operations against Steele's Expedition from Little Rock to Camden, Arkansas

April 25, 1864-Engagement Mark's Mill, Arkansas

April 30, 1864-Engagement, Jenkin's Ferry, Saline River, Arkansas, the confederates suffered nearly 1,000 casualties but were unable to prevent the Federal withdrawal.

During mid-1864, the 18th Tx Infantry was returned to Louisiana. Here it served at Shreveport. In early 1865 the unit was moved to Hempstead, Texas. Although the regiment was included amoung the Confederate Trans-Mississippi forces surrenderd at Galveston, it had already ceased to exist by that date. An unofficial report states that the regiment disbanded at Hempstead in May, 1865, when the news of the collapse of the eastern Confederacy reached the region.

Source: Confederate Research Center, Hillsboro, Texas